Mog was our first cat ever. I had never considered having a cat at all, but when my son brought the little tabby kitten home one day I couldn't resist. We called her Mog after the cat in my son's favourite children's book, Judith Kerr's 'Mog in the Dark'. She was a fantastic hunter, very affectionate towards us but watchful with other people, and a perfect mother. She was never ill in her life until she got cancer. We tried surgery, of course, but after the second relapse we understood that we were fighting a losing battle and let her go.

Puschkin was Mog's daughter. We used to travel a lot and wanted another cat in the house to keep Mog company when we were abroad. Introducing a kitten into the house seemed impossible, so we decided to let Mog have kittens and then keep one. Puschkin was a very special cat for me. She followed me everywhere and always slept at the foot of my bed. It took me a long time to come to terms with her premature death of a liver disease.

Our Tuffy was a beautiful, absolutely cuddly Maine Coon mix. She died in an accident when she was only three years old. Ever since then, my cats have been indoor cats.

Gremlin, we miss you.